Gangway.



T. A. MARTIN.

GANGWAY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-29. I915.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

lirCn for ion.

THOMAS A. MARTIN, OF WESTMOUNT, QUEBEC, CANADA.

GANGWAY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ALEXANDER MARTIN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in the city of Westmount, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gangways; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates particularly to gangways for use between cars on parallel tracks, and between cars and sheds, and it has for its object to provide for the ready transfer of lading on a tread lying on a level with the floors of the cars or sheds between which communication is effected by my improved gangway; a further object being to secure stability, and adjustability to completely bridge different widths of spaces to be traversed.

To this end the invention may be said briefly to consist of a portable gangway comprising a pair of spaced members having a tread suspended therefrom and provided with an adjustable plate adapted to be shifted in the direction in which the members lie for the purpose of adjusting the gangway to meet different widths of spaces to be traversed; the bridging members being of sufficient depth to form guard-rails preventing trucks from accidentally running off at the sides.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts, and wherein;

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved gangway; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a capping strap used in the construction of my improved gangway; Fig. 4: is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the adjustable plate; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of this adjustable plate removed, thesection being taken on line 6-6 Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the complete gangway.

The bridging members of my improved gangway consist of a pair of preferably oak stringers b b with rounded ends 0, and having a length over all sufiicient to extend across the maximum space between cars on a main line and siding or on parallel tracks or between tracks and sheds. These spaces vary and in order to accommodate both the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A 11 1916 Application filed November 29, 1915. 1

Serial No. 64,032.

from one end of the stringers which are a made to protrude sufficiently at this end to afford a safe overlap to rest upon one of the floors between which the lading is to be traversed. The opposite ends of the string ers extend over the other floor a distance depending upon the space bridged.

The extension member consists of a steel plate (see Figs. 5 and 6) preferably of slightly greater width than the planks d and bent to have its main lengthto lie flat upon the plank cl with its ends overlapping the inner edges of the stringers which are rabbeted as at g; throughout the width of the plank cl and extending a distance along the stringer beyond the plank 03 toward the end, equal to the width of the plate f; a pair of steel straps h covering the rabbets and preventing upward displacement of the plate. In order to cause the plate to make a good joint with the floor to which it is adjusted a pair of lugs are struck out of the free edge thereof and bent downwardly to engage the outer faces of the floor; and to prevent the sagging of the plate at the middle when the width of the space bridged prevents these lugs from reaching the floor and the free edge of the plate from overlapping it, a middle extension m is provided, its use being to rest on the floor and thus support the sheet at this point. and reinforce the end supports of the sheet in the rabbets.

My improved gangway is portable and the position of the stringers above the tread imparts stability to it owing to the fact that the ends of the stringers at both ends overlap the floors and the edge of the tread at one side abuts the edge of one floor and when the plate is adjusted the lugs 76 the edge of other floor, thus locating the tread surface on the same level as the floors of the cars or car and shed between which communication is efiected. The particular construction and relative arrangement of the parts of my improved gangway make it readily portable as the dimensions are such that it may be stood against the inside walls of a freight car or stored in sheds without inconvenience.

What I claim is as follows:

1. A portable gangway for use in the transfer of lading between railway cars or a railway car and a shed, consisting of a pair of bridging members, a tra-zad suspended therefrom and an adjustable tread-member for varying the width of the tread, substantially as described.

2. A portable gangway for use in the transfer of lading between railway cars or a railway car and a shed, consisting of a pair of bridging members, a tread suspended therefrom and an adjustable tread-member .for varying the width of the tread, the

bridging members having rabbets in their inner edges and the adjustable tread member consisting of a plate lying upon the main tread member and having its ends engaging and overlapping the rabbeted edges of the bridging members; and retaining straps secured over the rabbets.

3. A portable gangway for use in the transfer of lading between railway cars or a railway car and a shed, consisting of a pair of bridging members, a tread suspended therefrom and an adjustable tread-member for varying the width of the tread, the

copies of this patent may be obtained for Me cents each, by addressing the bridging members having rabbets in their inner edges and the adjustable tread member consisting of a plate lying upon the main tread member and having its ends engaging and overlapping the rabbeted edges of the bridging members, the free edge of the plate having a pair of downwardly extending lugs, substantially as described.

4:. A portable gangway for use in the transfer of lading between railway cars or a railway car and a shed, consisting of a pair of bridging members, a tread suspended therefrom and an adjustable tread-member for varying the width of the tread, the bridging members having rabbets in their inner edges and the adjustable tread member consisting of a plate lying upon the main tread member and having its ends engaging and overlapping rabbeted edges of the bridging members, the free edge of the plate having a pair of downwardly extending lugs, and a middle extension, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS A. MARTIN.

WVitnesses WILLIAM HEwETsoN, PARKER G. CooKE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

